{{Short description|American politician}} {{infobox officeholder | name = Kim Hammer | state_senate = Arkansas | term_start = January 19, 2019 | term_end = | predecessor = Jeremy Young Hutchinson | successor = | constituency = 33rd district (2019–2023)<br>16th district (2023–present) | state_house1 = Arkansas | district1 = 28th | term_start1 = January 10, 2011 | term_end1 = January 19, 2019 | predecessor1 = Barbara Nix | successor1 = Jasen Kelly | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|8|11}} | birth_place = Damascus, Arkansas, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = Republican | education = Trinity College of the Bible and Theological Seminary (BA) }} '''Kim Davin Hammer''' (born 11 August 1958) is a Missionary Baptist preacher and politician who has served in the Arkansas Senate since 2019. A Republican, he was previously a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019. He hosts a weekly conservative talk radio show.<ref>''[https://1011fmtheanswer.com/radioshow/8528 The Kim Hammer Show] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418151824/https://1011fmtheanswer.com/radioshow/8528 |date=2021-04-18 }}'', KDXE.</ref>
== Biography == Hammer was a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for eight years before being elected to the state Senate in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/576|title=Kim Hammer|website=Arkansas Senate}}</ref> He lives in Benton, Arkansas.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Legislators/Detail?member=K.+Hammer&ddBienniumSession=2021/2021R|title=Senator Kim Hammer (R) - Arkansas State Legislature|website=www.arkleg.state.ar.us}}</ref>
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Arkansas, Hammer was one of several Republican state legislators who sued Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, a fellow Republican, over public health measures that he ordered to prevent the spread of the virus. An Arkansas judge dismissed the suit.<ref>John Lynch, [https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2020/oct/15/judge-rejects-suit-opposing-virus-orders/?news-politics Judge rejects suit by Arkansas lawmakers opposing virus orders], ''Arkansas Democrat-Gazette'' (October 15, 2020).</ref>
In 2021, Hammer promoted Donald Trump's claim that the 2020 presidential election was "stolen"; after Trump was impeached for a second time, wrote in a Facebook post that Democrats were "enemies" and called for "political war" to be waged against them. Hammer deleted the post after it garnered criticism.<ref name=Brantley>Max Brantley, [https://arktimes.com/arkansas-blog/2021/01/16/sen-kim-hammer-declares-war-on-democrats-in-now-removed-facebook-post Sen. Kim Hammer declares 'war' on Democrats in now-removed Facebook post], ''Arkansas Times'' (January 16, 2021).</ref> In 2021, as part of Republican efforts to restrict voting following Trump's defeat, Hammer introduced a bill to eliminate early voting in Arkansas on the last Monday before Election Day, a measure that voting-rights groups described as voter suppression. The bill passed the Senate on a 19–13 vote, but failed in the state House on a 43–39 vote.<ref>Rachel Herzog, [https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2021/apr/28/house-rejects-bill-to-lop-day-of-early-voting/ House rejects bill to lop day of early voting], ''Arkansas Democrat-Gazette'' (April 28, 2021).</ref><ref>Rachel Herzog, [https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2021/apr/23/senate-oks-early-voting-ban-on-day-before-election/ Senate OKs early voting ban on day before election], ''Arkansas Democrat-Gazette'' (April 23, 2021).</ref>
In 2021, Hammer opposed the grant of a liquor-sales permit for a new Costco Wholesale in west Little Rock, a portion of which is in his district. Hammer wrote a letter to the director of the Alcohol Beverage Control Division, contending that the public's needs were "being adequately met by these existing businesses."<ref name=Oman>Noel Oman, [https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2021/may/28/liquor-sales-at-new-costco-hit-bump/ Liquor sales at new Costco in Little Rock hit bump after lawmaker objects], ''Arkansas Democrat-Gazette'' (May 28, 2021).</ref> By contrast, Little Rock's mayor and vice mayor supported Costco's permit request.<ref name=Oman/> The director initially denied Costco's permit application,<ref name=Oman/><ref name=Lynch>John Lynch, [https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2021/jul/18/permit-sell-liquor-disputed/ Permit to sell liquor disputed], ''Arkansas Democrat-Gazette'' (July 18, 2021).</ref> but this decision was reversed after a successful appeal by Costco to the Control Board directors.<ref name=Lynch/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Arkansas State Senate}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hammer, Kim}} Category:1958 births Category:21st-century members of the Arkansas General Assembly Category:American conservative talk radio hosts Category:Living people Category:Missionary Baptists Category:People from Benton, Arkansas Category:Republican Party Arkansas state senators Category:Republican Party members of the Arkansas House of Representatives